Would anybody like to repeat the question to Willie Randolph about who the fourth starter on the club is?The outcry from most Met fans when Steve Trachsel was relegated to fifth starter status was that Trax was fed a heaping tablespoonful of disrespect. I maintained then, as I do know, that Willie Randolph, in calling Trachsel the fifth starter, was merely trying to keep Victor Zambrano's trade value afloat by inflating his value in public.
But now that Zambrano's trade value and public perception can't be resuscitated by ER doctors, brain surgeons, or cartoon fairies, it's time for Willie Randolph to show Trachsel a heaping bowl full of love after his solid pitching performance led the Mets to a 4-1 victory tonight. Trachsel has been jerked around before, but back when the Mets had an embarrassment of riches in the starting rotation. But now, with only five starting pitchers for five starting slots...all right, four and a half...there's no excuse for Randolph to comment about Trachsel with double talk and non-commitals. If the plan is to play for this year, Steve Trachsel gives the Mets a better chance to win than Victor Zambrano...and now that the fact is obvious to all, it's time to acknowledge it.
The unsung hero of tonight's game is Paul Lo Duca. Not only did he drive in the first run of the game on a first inning single (and scoring that run by the way was Jose Reyes...proving that the Mets chances are much better when he's getting on base), he threw out speedy Randy Winn in the bottom of the sixth just ahead of X's dinger to give the Mets the lead for good.
Also, tonight's ballgame was an illustration of how different the game is when you have a bullpen you can trust. Jamey Wright led off the sixth by lining out in front of what became a harmless walk by Winn. Steve Trachsel, meanwhile, was pinch hit for in the top of the seventh after it became a 2-1 game. Granted, the score was different in each case...but in a 1-1 game in the sixth, is Felipe Alou more inclined to pinch hit for Wright after six innings if he had a bullpen he could count on? Randolph, unlike his counterpart, showed no hesitation in pinch hitting for Trachsel to go to Filthy Sanchez, who's been hotter than a Derek Bell crackpipe this season. I wonder what Alou would have done in the sixth if he had more filth in his bullpen.
Nice to see Cliff Floyd go splash in the eighth, even though it was a bad call on David Wright's infield single which made it happen. You aren't going to see me apologizing though, not after that Knoblauch call in 2000. Yeah, I'm still bitter...I apologize for nothing.
4 comments:
I read your blog pretty much everyday, sometimes twice if you make another post. And still, I can't get over that picture of Hammer you have in the standings...priceless
Tommy,
A hit? I don't know what you're talking about.
But if I were the guy posting about Mutt$ fans are losers and baba booey, I'd watch my back...I'm just saying.
Hey Mestra. it's your O-State connection confused as to where we go with Bannister down and out now...With him eating his wheaties and trying to get back on track we'll only have two sure shots hurlers and another solid one. Zambrano couldn't pitch to save the lives of his children being held for ransom!!
Yo Bucknuts!
First off, what's with those uniforms? Why do the Buckeyes look like the Badgers?
My initial guess is that Heilman would slide into the rotation, but he's been solid in his relief role, and something tells me that Willie will not want to hurt the bullpen by doing that, but he may not have a choice.
I would rather have Kaz Ishii than Zambrano at this point. What does that tell you?
By the way, were you guys in Dayton to see your guys in the basketball tourney? I was at the UD arena and I apologize if you were there and that I didn't tip you off to my arrival.
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